Phone: (610) 519-8081 Office: 190C Mendel Hall
email: vikram.iyengar@villanova.edu Office Hours: Thurs 10:00am – 12:00pm
Other times by appointment
Lecture: T and R, 8:30am – 9:45am
Mendel Hall, Room 213
Required text: Campbell, N., Reese, J., and Simon, E. (2004) Essential Biology with Physiology.
Benjamin Cummings (ISBN 0-8053-7476-0)
Course Description
Welcome to the course!
This course is designed for students enrolled in the College of Commerce
and Finance as a fulfillment of their core science requirement. In this course, you will receive a broad
introduction to the fascinating world of biology, from molecules to organisms
to ecosystems. Topics include cellular
processes such as respiration and metabolism, genetics and patterns of
inheritance, biodiversity and classification, ecology and the conservation, and
animal physiology. Throughout the
course, we will take an evolutionary approach as we investigate the connections
between structure and function.
Upon
the completion of this course, you should not only understand basic biological
concepts, but also be able to critically analyze, interpret and evaluate
information. To this end, you will be
required to investigate a current topic and evaluate the current state of
information on the subject. Ultimately,
your knowledge and your ability to separate with wheat from the chaff will
allow you to make more informed decisions regarding scientific issues that
affect us and the planet we call home.
Attendance in the lecture is strongly encouraged; indeed, it
is expected. I cannot imagine that you will find it possible to master this
material without regular class attendance, and attendance and participation
will be part of the criterion used in the calculation of your overall
grade. As I am sure you will notice, the
lecture powerpoints – which will most likely be posted on webCT – will not tell
the whole story, and should not be considered a substitute for lecture
attendance. Since you will have access
to the lectures, you should not merely copy the words on the slide; I expect
you to focus more on writing down things I say that help to synthesize
information into coherent ideas.
Regardless of whether you are in class or not, however, you are responsible for everything that is discussed in lecture, announced changes in the syllabus, and any handouts distributed in class. If you miss class, you must make your own arrangements to obtain class notes. Although I am here to help, you are adults now, and will be treated as such - with your freedom comes responsibility, and ultimately you must be responsible for your own education.
Exams, Assignments,
and Grading
There are 4 regular exams including Exam 4, which will be given during finals week. A variety of question formats may be used, including multiple choice, matching, short answer and essay. Exams will be designed to assess your understanding of factual material and key concepts. They will also test your ability to synthesize and apply this information to novel situations (in other words, situations we have not specifically covered in the class or in the text).
You will also have 2 written assignments, both of which must be typed. For the first assignment, you will split up into groups of 2 to 4 people and determine a current topic in biology or biotechnology that you would like to address such as cloning, genetically-modified food, HIV treatments, stem cell research, zoos, etc. Each member of the group will then look for an article from a secondary source such as National Geographic, Natural History, Scientific American, National Wildlife, and the Audubon Society. Each individual in the group will read a different article and write a 2-3 page paper summarizing and analyzing his/her own current news article. The day this assignment is due, all members of the group will also lead the class in presentations/discussions about the topic and your findings. It will be important to know all sides of the issues to stimulate an enlightening and useful discussion for the rest of the class.
The second writing assignment will be a 5-7 page paper on either an endangered/threatened species or an invasive species. The organism will be of your choosing but subject to my approval, as I will insist that no two people are working on the same species. In this paper, you will be expected to cover information including, but not limited to: habitat (former and current range), reproductive behavior, physiological processes, associations with other organisms, and conservation efforts. Both writing assignments will be more fully described more fully once the term is underway.
Note: for all assignments and exams, I insist that you staple all papers (no paper clips or folded corners!) and use only blue or black ink pens for your exams.
The general breakdown is shown below:
Lecture
Exams (4@100 points each): 400 points
Presentation: 40 points
Summary/Critique: 40 points
Organism
Paper: 100 points
Attendance/Participation 20 points
---------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL POINTS: 600 points
Final grades will be assigned based on a standard plus/minus
scale:
A (93-100%) C+ (77-79%)
A- (90-92%) C (73-76%)
B+ (87-89%) C- (70-72%)
B (83-86%) D (60-69%)
B- (80-82%) F ( < 60%)
Late Assignments and Makeup
Exams
All assignments will be due at the times announced in class or in the syllabus. Late assignments will be penalized 10% of the points available for each 24-hour interval that they are late. Assignments > 1 week late will not be accepted unless you have medical or other valid documented reasons for the delay (see the Undergraduate Handbook for list of valid excuses). If you have a serious reason for missing an exam, you must call the instructor BEFORE the scheduled exam period to notify them that you cannot take the exam (again, written documentation is required). You are then responsible for arranging with the instructors to make up the test within two days of your return to campus. Quizzes will be periodic, and there will be no makeup quizzes given.
Teaching Philosophy and the
Classroom
I am here to help you not only learn the material covered in
class, but also develop skills that will assist you in learning throughout your
academic and professional careers. To
that end, please feel free to ask us questions inside or outside of class if
there is something you don’t understand – one my primary objectives is provide
a supportive community for learning.
To facilitate learning, please be respectful of your
classmates by adhering to the list below:
·
Be
prepared for class
·
Do
not be late to class
·
Avoid
conversations with others during class
·
Limit
food and beverages to those that can be consumed quietly
·
Turn
off pagers and cell phones (owners of the offending beeper will owe the class
a 10
minute presentation on a topic of the instructor’s choosing)
Academic Integrity
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has adopted a
standard policy for matters of academic integrity. While most students in this course are
members of the College of Commerce and Finance, this course is under the
auspices of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. All students in this course should carefully
read the policy outlined in the Enchiridion
or the University blue book, both of which can be found on the web. If you are at any time uncertain about what
constitutes academic dishonesty, please consult these sources or talk to the
instructor directly. Examples of such
violations include, but are not limited to, using notes on an exam or quiz,
looking at another student’s exam or quiz, misrepresentation for the purpose of
taking a makeup exam, providing another student with answers to an exam, unauthorized
collaboration, and plagiarism. Be sure
that you understand what constitutes plagiarism, and be careful that the work
you do is yours alone. In instances of plagiarism, all parties involved will
receive the same penalty. University policies pertaining to such issues will be
strictly adhered to and the appropriate penalty will be assessed at the
discretion of the instructor. There will
be no exceptions to this policy.
Academic Accommodations
It is the policy and practice of Villanova University to
make reasonable accommodations for students with properly documented
disabilities (written notification from the Learning Support Services). If you are eligible to receive an accommodation
and would like to request it for this course please discuss it with me and
allow a one-week notice before the accommodation would be needed. Otherwise, it is not guaranteed that the
accommodation can be arranged on a timely basis.
There is also support on campus for writing through the Writing
Center. I will be happy to discuss your
papers anytime, but I do not read rough drafts.
The Writing Center is a wonderful campus resource, and I suggest you use
it if you would like help in how to write effective papers.
|
DATE |
LECTURE SUBJECT |
READING |
|
August 26 |
Introduction and Course Logistics |
|
|
August 31 |
Biology Today & Essential Chemistry for Biology |
Chapters 1 & 2 |
|
September 2 |
Molecules of Life & Introduction to Cells |
Chapters 3 & 4 |
|
September 7 |
Cell Membranes & Transport |
Chapter 5 |
|
September 9 |
Cellular Respiration & Photosynthesis |
Chapters 6 & 7 |
|
September 14 |
Mitosis and Meiosis |
Chapter 8 |
|
September 16 |
Patterns of Inheritance |
Chapter 9 |
|
September 21 |
TBA (Review or Lecture) |
|
|
September 23 |
EXAM 1 |
|
|
September 28 |
How Populations Evolve |
Chapter 13 |
|
September 30 |
Biological Diversity / Origin of Life |
Chapters 14 & 15 |
|
October 5 |
Plants, Fungi and the Move onto Land |
Chapter 16 |
|
October 7 |
Group Presentations, SUMMARY PAPER DUE |
|
|
October 12 |
**Fall Break – No Classes** |
|
|
October 14 |
**Fall Break – No Classes** |
|
|
October 19 |
Invertebrate Diversity |
Chapter 17 |
|
October 21 |
Vertebrate Diversity |
Chapter 17 |
|
October 26 |
TBA (Review or Lecture) |
|
|
October 28 |
EXAM 2 |
|
|
November 2 |
Structure and Function / Excretion |
Chapter 21 |
|
November 4 |
Circulation and Respiration / Body’s Defenses |
Chapters 23 & 24 |
|
November 9 |
Hormones |
Chapter 25 |
|
November 11 |
Nervous, Sensory, and Motor Systems |
Chapter 27 |
|
November 16 |
TBA (Review or Lecture) |
|
|
November 18 |
EXAM 3 |
|
|
November 23 |
Organismal and Population Ecology |
Chapter 18 |
|
November 25 |
**Thanksgiving Break – No Classes** |
|
|
November 30 |
Behavioral Ecology |
|
|
December 2 |
Communities and Ecosystems |
Chapter 19 |
|
December 7 |
Human Impacts on the Environment |
Chapter 20 |
|
December 9 |
TBA (Review or Lecture), ORGANISM PAPER DUE |
|
|
December 16 |
EXAM 4 |
8:00am |